Memories of HMS VERNON (R)

I arrived in Brighton on a freezing night
in November 1942 for the Seaman Torpedoman course. All along the
front were gun emplacements, I felt so sorry for the soldiers it was
so bitterly cold.

The Wrens quarters in 99 Marine Parade were
lovely, so bright and cheery; my cabin, which I shared with seven
other Wrens, was at the front overlooking the sea. Each morning
after a delicious breakfast that the navy cooks made for us, and was
served by Stewards, we took the bus to Roedean. After divisions in
the quadrangle we went to the classroom for theory. Other mornings
we would go to the Dreadnought Garage for Torpedo instructions or
St. Dunstan’s for electrical training. The classes were made up of
all Women.

Although the course involved a great deal
of studying we also enjoyed a good social life, Dances in the Regent
Ballroom, watching Ice Hockey at the rink, but best of all the bar
in the basement of the Royal Hotel(?), supervised Molly a lovely
kind lady who was a friend to us all.

That Christmas we were given beer sent into
the quarters by well wishers but as we Wrens were not beer drinkers
we took it over to the Soldiers still manning the guns on the front,
we were so sorry for them spending their Christmas out in the
freezing weather. They were delighted with our gift.

One Sunday afternoon in February 1943 I had met up with a
Canadian solder (we had first met at the Regent Ballroom). His name
was Bruce. He asked me if I would mind going for a walk in the
country as he had to take a message to his uncle who was stationed
in a Canadian army camp. We were walking along a country lane when
we hear the roar of an aircraft coming down towards us. Terrified,
we both jumped into the ditch, getting as far out of sight as we
could. I think it must have been a German in the aircraft having a
good laugh at us before returning to Germany. I never went on
another country walk!

Having passed the course I returned to
H.M.S. Caroline a fully qualified Seaman Torpedoman and, under Chief
Petty Officer Murphy's supervision, carried on working servicing
depth charge pistols.

Before returning to Brighton in the spring
of 1944 to undertake the Leading Torpedoman’s course, I married
Petty Officer R.N.V.R. Frank Smith who was serving on H.M.S.
Blackwood.

Brighton had changed; the soldiers were no
longer there and there was such activity, we were obviously not
privy to the reason at that time. (D-Day preparations) I had to
learn how to run a Wrenery, (WRNS Quarters) as part of becoming a
Leading WRNS - I had to undertake pastoral duties and drill the
Wrens; we had to pass this part of the course before continuing.
During this time I was admitted to sickbay in a bungalow near
Roedean, my bed was in a glass conservatory; night after night the
place shook we could feel the vibrations of our bombing in Europe.

I was now busy on the course at Roedean; on
the morning of June 6th we stood around the radio after breakfast to
hear the news that we had landed in Europe, at divisions that
morning the Captain came onto the steps put his telescope to his eye
and said "We have now landed in Europe, at this moment in time our
injured troops are being landed in Newhaven, I wish that you all
forget your family and friends and put all your effort into winning
this war".

I had to go to Eastbourne for part of the
course, on the night before I was to return to Brighton the air raid
siren sounded, we spent the night in the shelter knowing something
different was happening but not what it was, it was only next
morning leaving Brighton station that I saw the newspapers headlines
"pilot less plane falls on Eastbourne".

This was the start of the infamous
doodlebugs. It was 24/7 doodlebugs, we had to get on with life we
couldn't spend all our time in the shelter, so some bright spark
(after all we were electricians) decided we would take turns to go
on watch in pairs on the roof of the Wrenery at night, we were
equipped with a whistle and football rattle. The idea being when the
tail flame of the doodlebug went out, we would sound the warning to
the others by blowing the whistle and rattling the rattle. We all
slept soundly knowing we would get this warning. It was many years
later when I realized how futile this would have been, we wouldn't
have had time to get the whistle to our lips before being blown to
smithereens. At this time I spent many evening watching full of
admiration the brave Hurricane pilots bringing down the doodlebugs
into the sea tipping them with the wings of their planes.

I completed the course, qualifying as a
Leading Torpedo Operator specialising in electrics and was presented
with my badge unfortunately a Sailors red badge; they had not issued
any Wrens Blue badges so I had to embroider over the red with blue
silk.

I returned to H.M.S. Caroline proudly displaying the badge of a
Leading torpedo Operator, working on the Captain Class Frigates
(Submarine Chasers)